Verified Solution Science Electricity: Magnetic and Heating Effects

A student places a compass near a straight current-carrying wire. The compass needle deflects. If the student reverses the direction of current in the wire, what observation would be made, and why?

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Answer

If the direction of current in the wire is reversed, the compass needle would deflect in the opposite direction. This is because the direction of the magnetic field produced around a current-carrying conductor is directly dependent on the direction of the electric current. Reversing the current causes the magnetic field lines to reverse their orientation, leading to an opposite deflection of the compass needle.

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